Baltimore County principals, who have been on the job most of the summer, got their back-to-school pep talk Friday from the superintendent, which was part motivation and part inspiration.

Superintendent Dallas Dance sounded more like a coach preparing his team for the first game of the season. About this time every year, the superintendent shares his vision for principals and other top staff members. The push this year is on equity or balance at school.

Dance told educators to stay focused on a changing school district and to make adjustments where needed.

"We are a majority minority school system, so African-American students and families, Asian students and families, Hispanic, Latino students and families make up the majority of Baltimore County. We have to make sure that we have policies and practices in place to support every single kid and their families," Dance said.

It's a challenge that seemed to hit home for principals.

"We're just refocusing on the message that it's about all students moving forward with tomorrow, looking at technology, creating that perfect example that all students can succeed," said Ken Miller, principal at Lansdowne High School.

"I was just listening to Dr. Dance and hearing about the equity agenda and just making sure we are providing equal access for all of our boys and girls," said Natashe Bennett, principal at Scotts Branch Elementary School.

That's what drives principals like Susan Evans, who was just picked as a finalist for National Secondary Principal of the Year.

"We are absolutely inspired and it just says that we have more work to do and accomplish and get to the heart of the problem and making sure that all of our children are achieving and achieving at their highest levels," said Evans, who is principal of Ridgely Middle School.

Dance said he hopes his message will go a long way toward motivating both new and seasoned principals, some who have been with the school system for almost four decades.

When asked what keeps him on the job for so long, David Lloyd, principal at Catonsville Center, said, "Working with the kids, they help keep me young. I love working with the kids, I love working with young teachers. Every year is a new challenge, every day is a different day."

It has been said that the job of principals, in part, is like that of a small-town mayor. There are a lot of responsibilities, but administrators will be the first to say they wouldn't trade the job for anything.

"It's extremely rewarding, especially on a high-school level, personally when you see students move forward into the higher academics and receive accolades and then that final walk across the stage at graduation," Miller said.

When asked what she thinks people may misunderstand about the job of the principal, Bennett said, "Maybe the impact you have on all your students, the relationships with the community and being able to rally with and behind your staff just to move student achievement forward, that's really the crux of the principalship."

"Administrators have to look at every single kid in that building but also how do they make sure they bring in their families and communities on board too," Dance said.

The superintendent said that's what ultimately helps to drive student achievement.

"We have to make sure that our entire population -- and that includes the students, the parents, the faculty, the community, our business partners, everybody -- is heard and that everybody is achieving," Evans said.

STUDENTS MAY BE GETTING READY TO HEAD BACK TO CLASS BUT PRINCIPLES NEVER REALLY LEFT. BEING THE PRINCIPAL COULD HAVE ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES AND REWARDS. TIM TOOTEN IS LIVE WITH MORE. IT IS BEEN SAID THE JOB OF THE PRINCIPAL IS LIKE THAT OF A SMALL TOWN MAYOR -- A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY BUT THEY WOULD NOT TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING. WE COULD LEARN FROM IT BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYES FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE. WHAT WILL IT TAKE SO BEEN 10 YEARS WE ARE NOT IN HIS BOAT. THIS IS PART OF THE MESSAGE AT THE SUPERINTENDENT PASSED ALONG TO HIS TOP STAFF MEMBERS AND PRINCIPLES. FAMILIAR WITH THE FUTURE AND WHAT IT COULD HOLD FOR THIS CHILDREN. IT IS EXTREMELY REWARDING, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WHEN YOU SEE STUDENTS MOVE FORWARD INTO THE HIGHER ACADEMICS AND RECEIVED ACCOLADES. THAT FINAL WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AND GRADUATION. THE REWARDS ARE MUCH SOONER FOR PRINCIPALS WHO ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE TO CHANGE AND WHAT THEY SEE HAPPENING IS NOT ALWAYS ON PAPER. WHAT IS THE JOB OF THE PRINCIPAL? THE IMPACT YOU HAVE ON ALL OF YOUR STUDENTS, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY. BEING ABLE TO RALLY WITH AND BEHIND YOUR STAFF. THAT IS REALLY THE CRUX. THE SUPERINTENDENT AGREES. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE KID AND HOW TO MAKE SURE HOW THEY BRING IN THEIR COMMUNITY ON BOARD AS WELL. OF THAT IS WHAT HELPS TO BRING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR ENTIRE POPULATION, INCLUDING THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND FACULTY AND THE COMMUNITY, EVERYBODY IS HEARD AND EVERYBODY IS ACHIEVING. THE HOPE IS THE START IS THE VERY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. SCHOOL STARTS ON AUGUST 27 IN BALTIMORE COUNTY. MOST OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS -- WE WANT TO SEE YOUR FIRST DAY PICTURES.